Good copywriting is not the same as good writing. While writing talent is important, it is not enough on its own.
To be a great copywriter, you need a whole lot more.
Let’s dive right into the ultimate copywriting for beginners guide and explore what you can do to level up your writing skills.
Key Takeaways on Copywriting
- Crafting Compelling Headlines: Mastering the art of the headline is crucial as it determines whether your audience will engage further with your content.
- Storytelling is Key: Good copywriting is about storytelling that connects with the audience, making your message memorable and impactful.
- Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure your message is clear and straightforward, allowing your audience to understand the basics of who you are and what you offer.
- Developing a Unique Voice: Your brand’s voice should be distinct and reflective of your target audience’s interests and needs, helping you stand out in a crowded market.
- Emphasizing Uniqueness: Highlight what sets you apart from competitors to showcase why consumers should choose you.
- Forward-Thinking: Successful copywriters anticipate market trends and innovate, rather than simply following what’s currently popular.
- Risk-Taking: Don’t be afraid to take risks in your copy to capture attention and differentiate your brand.
- Understanding Your Audience: Knowing your audience deeply will allow you to create content that resonates and engages them effectively.
- The Importance of Editing: Even the best writers need editors to refine their work and ensure clarity and coherence for the audience.
Why You Should Become a Copywriter
Becoming a copywriter offers a unique blend of creative challenge and strategic thinking. It’s not merely about good writing but about crafting messages that persuade, engage, and drive action.
Here’s why you should consider diving into the world of copywriting:
- Creative Fulfillment: Copywriting allows you to use your creativity to tell stories, evoke emotions, and connect with audiences in meaningful ways.
- Strategic Impact: You’ll play a crucial role in marketing strategies, influencing how brands communicate their value and engage with their audience.
- Diverse Opportunities: From digital marketing and advertising to content creation for social media, copywriting skills are in high demand across various industries.
- Continuous Learning: The field requires you to stay on top of trends, understand new platforms, and continually adapt your writing to meet evolving audience expectations.
- Financial Potential: With the right skills and experience, copywriting can be a lucrative career, whether you work as a freelancer, for an agency, or in-house at a company.
Copywriting is an exciting, dynamic field that offers the chance to make a significant impact with your words.
Whether you’re drawn to the creative aspects, the strategic importance, or the potential for growth and income, copywriting is a rewarding career path worth exploring.
Copywriting for Beginners & Beyond: The Beginner’s Guide in 10 Steps
When you are looking to hire a copywriter, whether freelance, through a service, or in-house, there are certain things you want to make sure that writer can do. If they can’t, then they may not be able to get you the results that you need.
1. Master the Art of the Headline
I’m sure you have heard this many, many times before. But guess what? That’s just further proof that it is true. You have to be able to craft a good headline.
The headline is the first thing people will likely see when they decide whether or not to read more. If you cannot get them to open it, then you cannot tell them what it is you would like to say.
There are many ways to create a good headline.
• Play to people’s emotions.
• Make them curious about what you are going to say in the rest of the piece.
• Use numbers.
• Use action words.
2. Become a Storyteller
Good copywriting does not just spew out facts. It tells a story. If you want to succeed in the copy game, then you have to be able to tell your story in a way that will get your audience listening and make them want to learn more.
Even in a technical field, creative copy is important. You may understand the complexities of your industry, but perhaps your audience doesn’t. The story is for them, not for you, so make sure you write one that they would want to hear.
3. Make Sure Your Message Is Clear
In copywriting, being creative is key. You should aim to tell a story. But it’s important that the main message isn’t overshadowed by the story. To succeed in copywriting, you have to clearly communicate your message in a way that is both engaging and persuasive.
At the end of your ad, post, etc., people should want to know more, but they should already have the basics.
• Who are you?
• What are you selling?
• Why should they be interested?
Your audience should easily be able to answer all of these when they are done with your copy.
4. Have a Voice
A good brand needs to have a voice. Groupon’s voice is not the same as Apple’s voice is not the same as IBM’s voice. Nor should they be the same.
If you want to make it in the copywriting game, you cannot copy the things that work for others. You can and should use them as models. But you should not copy them.
To really stand out, you have to be different, and most importantly, you have to be you. In order to successfully do this, you need to do a self-evaluation.
• Who is your target audience?
• What are their interests?
• How can you make their life better?
• If they knew one thing about you, what would you want it to be?
• What kind of tone (serious, funny, etc.) do you want to convey?
Answering these questions will help you figure out your voice.
5. Be Unique
You have to stand out from the crowd in order to make it in the copy game. If you do what everybody else is doing, then what distinguishes you from the competition?
You have to be able to showcase your uniqueness.
6. Be Able to Explain Why You Are the Best
You have to be able to let people know why they should use you.
Everybody has something that sets them apart from everyone else. Your job as a marketer is to find that distinction, highlight it correctly, and effectively convince readers that they want to use a company with your specific set of skills.
7. Be a Forward-Thinking Writer
There are two big reasons it is important to be a forward-thinker if you want to be successful at copywriting.
1. Trends change, and if you do not see the changes coming, you will not be able to keep up. If you want to really be a success, then you have to be able to spot changes before they happen so you can prepare.
2. The best copy campaigns are the ones that take marketing to a new level. Copywriting is a competition. If you want to win the competition, you have to set the pace. Don’t worry about what people like now. Create what they are going to like tomorrow.
8. Take a Risk
Good copywriters are willing to take risks. If you don’t shock, then you just blend in. You can’t please everyone, so don’t try to.
Don’t worry about the waves you create. The best copywriting shakes people up by nature.
9. Know Your Audience
You have to know who you are writing for, and you have to write for them.
• How would the potential customers want to be talked to?
• What would make them happy?
• What would they find entertaining?
Figure this out, and then you will be able to write what they want to hear. Even if they do not even realize it yet.
10. Get an Editor
No matter how good of a writer you are, you still need to have someone else edit your work. Even professional editors have trouble editing their own writing.
You understand what you want to communicate, so it can be easy to overlook if you’ve written something that doesn’t make sense to others. Therefore, no matter how sure you are about your message, have someone else review it for you. Don’t wait for a potential customer to find your mistakes.
Copywriting Genius: Achieving Your Writing Goals
Copywriting takes a lot of hard work. However, with a few tips, like those in our copywriting for beginners guide, you can do it how it should be done. Quick Sprout created an in-depth manual that walks you through copywriting.
And if you are looking to hire a service to do the copy work for you, our team may be a great fit.
Read more: Copywriting Sins You Need to Avoid